Flexibility_Guide.pdf

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Flexibility & Performance Part 1

Q Hey Coach, You guys are hardcore! I love the videos please keep them coming! My

question is regarding flexibility training. I have seen several videos showing your regeneration

routine and some stuff about Ginastica Natural on your website. First, could you please explain

exactly how flexibility helps improve performance? Second, could you please give some

sample routines?

Thanks Coach,

Mike G Elmwood Park NJ

A Mike thanks for the props!!! Im glad you like the videos. First let me start by saying that

flexibility training should be a major component of all strength & conditioning routines. If you

coach athletes like I do every day youll know why I say that! Every meathead athlete that

walks into a gym has no problem hitting the weights for an hour, but as soon as their

donepoofout the door! NOT AT MY GYM! We make sure that all our athletes properly

stretch before and after every workout.

Dont be this guy!!!

Flexibility helps improve performance these ways.

1. Increases Range of Motion related to your sport.

2. Improve Muscle Elasticity and Responsiveness.

3. Improve Explosive Power

4. Decreases the Chance of Muscle Tears and/or damage to Associated Tendons.

First, improving ones flexibility increases their range of motion related to their sport. This is

their flexibility reserve. If an athlete can improve their flexibility reserve to where its 15-20%

greater than the flexibility needed for that sport, it will greatly reduce the chance of injury as well

as making them a more dynamic player, able to move in and out of awkward positions more

fluently.


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Second, flexible muscles are elastic and responsive muscles. Let me give you an

example I often use with my athletes. Lets say your hamstrings are like a rubber band thats

brand new out of the bag. If you immediately stretch it to its max it will break, however if you

warm it up by stretching it gently a bunch of times you can feel it loosen up and it will stretch

further and further. The more you stretch the more elastic your muscles and their associated

tendons become. This will over time, greatly improve your range of motion.

As for muscle responsiveness, Dynamic Flexibility training activates the muscle spindles

that control proprioception related to muscles rate and degree of stretch. Here they are said to

be highly irritable. That is they are very responsive to changes in the muscles position, and

send their signals to the brain at a very fast rate to coordinate appropriate muscle tensions. In

non-elastic (tight) muscles, the muscles and tendons are strained under many sports

movements and cause the activation of the Golgi Tendon Organ, which cuts off the signal for

muscular contraction to relive excess muscle tension. This greatly decreases power.

CHECK OUT THESE HYPERLINKS

Muscle Spindle Reflex Glogi Tendon Reflex

Third, elastic muscles can generate more force. Lets go back to the rubber band from

before. The further a rubber band is stretched the more kinetic energy it can store, the harder

and faster it will recoil increasing force (F=Mass x Acceleration). Your muscles are no

different. Elastic muscles can be stretched further with more eccentric speed, therefore creating

greater concentric recoil. Ex: A boxer coiling up before the punch, or the windup before a pitch.


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Lastly, flexibility reduces the chance of injury to the muscles, tendons, and the joint

capsules. Elastic muscles are far less likely to tear under excess stress than tight muscles.

Improving range of motion protects the tendons and joint capsule from strain and/or tears.

The second part of your question is more complicated as the specific needs of you or

your athletes have to be determined individually. However, I will give you some common

ground rules and routines that we use at Varsity House that you can apply to any athlete.

Common Ground Rules:

1. Always begin with 5-10min of real basic movement prep to get the muscles temperature

up. Ex: J ump rope, tread mill, Air Dyne, line drills

2. Perform dynamic flexibility before every sport practice, strength session, or SAQ

session.

3. Static stretch only after activity, or on off days as part of your regeneration routine.

4. When static stretching use a wave technique moving in/out of stretches every few

seconds for multiple sets instead of holding each stretch for prolonged periods of time.

5. Stretch muscles to mild discomfort NOT pain.

6. NEVER static stretch your hamstrings before sprint training!

Routines:

Pre-Competition

Dynamic Flexibility Perform 10-15 repetitions of each exercise before all training sessions.

1. Deep Squats


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2. Alternating Lunge & Reach

3. Alternating Cossack Squats

4. Single Leg Kicks

5. Alternating Iron Cross

6. Roll Up / Roll Outs


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7. Alternating Spidermans

8.Alternating Hip Unders

9. Alternating Scorpions

10. Groiners

11. Hip Hydrants (50 reps each)


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12. Push Ups

13. Clap Jacks

14. Hip Circles

15. Trunk Twist

16. Alternating Reach Overs

(Video) Online Only


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Post-Competition

Static Stretches Perform 3-6 sets of each stretch holding for 5-10 seconds each set.

*Top 4* - If pressed for time perform these stretches

1. 3-Way Hip Flexor*

2. 3-Way Glutes*

3.4-Way Lower Back / Gluteal Fascia / Hips*

4.

3-Way Hamstrings*


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5. Pikes

6. Alternating Hip Overs

7. Sumo Squat to Hamstring Stretch

8. Cossack Squat Holds

9. Hurdler & Spread Eagle Hamstring


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10. Butterfly

Upper Body Static Stretches

1. Single / Double Arm Lat Stretch

2. Hanging Lats

3. Wish Bone Chest/Lats/Shoulders


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4. Upright Chest/Shoulder Stretch

5. Shoulder Openers

6. Side Bend Stretch

7. Behind Back Anterior Deltoid Stretch

Mike I hope this answers your questions as to why flexibility is so important to sports

performance, as well as some basic ground rules and routines to use. Flexibility is like any

other training variable that it must be programmed accordingly into your strength & conditioningroutine. There are many means to achieving sports mastery, flexibility is simply another

important tool for improving overall athleticism. Look for Part 2 of this article which will cover

advanced flexibility and regeneration techniques such as: PNF stretching, ART, foam roller

work, and a few of our TOP SECRET regeneration techniques we use at Varsity House. Until

next timeKeep pushing the limits of your own ability!

-Coach Joe

Documents

Flexibility_Guide.pdf